The 2nd century BCE

Great powers

Profiles of the 2nd century BCE, ranked by their military, territorial, economic and historical weight in the Institute’s analysis and by how strong they were in these hundred years.

• Roman Republic509 BCE – 27 BCEScore 7.8/10
• Han Dynasty206 BCE – 220 CEScore 7.5/10
• Xiongnu Empire318 BCE – 36 BCEScore 3.6/10 · at its peak c. 174 BCE
• Parthian Empire247 BCE – 224 CEScore 5.0/10 · at its peak c. 100 BCE
• Seleucid Empire312 BCE – 63 BCEScore 5.6/10
• Kingdom of Pontus281 BCE – 63 BCEScore 4.4/10
• Ptolemaic Empire323 BCE – 30 BCEScore 5.9/10
• Kushite Empire1070 BCE – 350 CEScore 4.4/10
• Saka700 BCE – 100 BCEScore 3.8/10
• Yuezhi300 BCE – 30 CEScore 3.6/10
• Numidia202 BCE – 46 BCEScore 3.3/10 · at its peak c. 150 BCE
• Athens900 BCE – 86 BCEScore 6.4/10

Key events

• Third Punic WarWar · 149–146 BCE
• Battle of PydnaBattle · 168 BCE
• Treaty of ApameaTreaty · Peace · 188 BCE
• Achaean WarWar · 146 BCE
• Third Macedonian WarWar · 171–168 BCE
• Battle of CynoscephalaeBattle · 197 BCE
• Battle of MagnesiaBattle · 190 BCE
• Jugurthine WarWar · 112–105 BCE
• Battle of MobeiBattle · 119 BCE
• Han–Xiongnu WarWar · from 129 BCE
• Maccabean RevoltRevolt · 167–142 BCE
• Battle of MyonessusBattle · 190 BCE

All 18 battles, wars and treaties of the 2nd century BCE →

People

• PolybiusPerson · c. 200–c. 118 BCE
• Emperor Wu of HanPerson · r. 141–87 BCE
• Sima QianPerson · c. 145–c. 86 BCE
• Perseus of MacedonPerson · c. 212–c. 166 BCE
• Zhang QianPerson · d. 113 BCE
• Gaius MariusPerson · 157–86 BCE
• AristonicusPerson · d. c. 128 BCE
• MasinissaPerson · c. 238–148 BCE
• Attalus IIIPerson · c. 170–133 BCE
• Lucius Aemilius Paullus MacedonicusPerson · c. 229–160 BCE
• Mithridates I of ParthiaPerson · r. c. 171–132 BCE
• Modu ChanyuPerson · r. 209–174 BCE

Works and ideas

• Rosetta StoneWork / monument · 196 BCE
• Via AemiliaWork / monument · 187 BCE
• Fossa RegiaWork / monument · 146 BCE
• Heliodorus pillarWork / monument · c. 113 BCE
• Ajanta CavesWork / monument · 2nd century BCE–5th century CE
• Sanctuary of Hercules VictorWork / monument · 2nd–1st century BCE
• Venus de MiloWork / monument · c. 150–125 BCE
• Via CassiaWork / monument · 2nd century BCE

States founded 41

• Hispania Citerior 197 BCE – 27 BCE
• Hispania Ulterior 197 BCE – 27 BCE
• Dong'ou 192 BCE – 138 BCE
• Kingdom of Armenia (Artaxiad) 189 BCE – 12 CE
• Shunga Empire 185 BCE – 73 BCE
• Delmatae 180 BCE – 9 CE
• Indo-Greek Kingdom 180 BCE – 10 CE
• Kroraina 176 BCE – 445 CE
• Lycian League 168 BCE – 43 CE
• Nabataean Kingdom 168 BCE – 106 CE
• Four Macedonian Republics 167 BCE – 146 BCE
• Kingdom of Adiabene 164 BCE – 379 CE
• Kingdom of Commagene 163 BCE – 72 CE
• Ptolemaic Kingdom of Cyrene 163 BCE – 96 BCE
• Wusun 161 BCE – 500 CE
• Roxolani 150 BCE – 375 CE
• Kingdom of Elymais 147 BCE – 221 CE
• Africa Proconsularis 146 BCE – 439 CE
• Kingdom of Characene 141 BCE – 222 CE
• Hasmonean Kingdom 140 BCE – 37 BCE
• Osroene 132 BCE – 244 CE
• Ituraea 115 BCE – 20 BCE
• Aduatuci 110 BCE – 57 BCE
• Himyarite Kingdom 110 BCE – 525 CE
• Indo-Scythians 110 BCE – 30 CE
• Jushi 108 BCE – 450 CE
• Arjunayanas 100 BCE – 350 CE
• Byeonhan 100 BCE – 42 CE
• Caucasian Albania 100 BCE – 510 CE
• Corduene 100 BCE – 384 CE
• Dumnonii 100 BCE – 55 CE
• Durotriges 100 BCE – 44 CE
• Frisii 100 BCE – 400 CE
• Jinhan 100 BCE – 300 CE
• Kingdom of Hatra 100 BCE – 241 CE
• Mahan 100 BCE – 369 CE
• Musulamii 100 BCE – 200 CE
• Nazca 100 BCE – 750 CE
• Parisii (Britain) 100 BCE – 71 CE
• Satavahana dynasty 100 BCE – 220 CE

States that came to an end 141

• Bastetani 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Bastuli 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Contestani 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Edetani 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Ilercavones 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Laietani 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Oretani 500 BCE – 197 BCE
• Airenosi 300 BCE – 195 BCE
• Andosini 300 BCE – 195 BCE
• Ausetani 500 BCE – 195 BCE
• Bergistani 500 BCE – 195 BCE
• Emporion 575 BCE – 195 BCE
• Iacetani 500 BCE – 195 BCE
• Indigetes 500 BCE – 195 BCE
• Lacetani 500 BCE – 195 BCE
• Rhode 400 BCE – 195 BCE
• Sedetani 500 BCE – 195 BCE
• Insubres 600 BCE – 194 BCE
• Hipponion 650 BCE – 192 BCE
• Boii 400 BCE – 191 BCE
• Aetolian League 370 BCE – 189 BCE
• Ambracia 625 BCE – 189 BCE
• Kingdom of Athamania 330 BCE – 189 BCE
• Maurya Empire 322 BCE – 185 BCE
• Suessetani 500 BCE – 184 BCE
• Sinope 631 BCE – 183 BCE
• Au Lac 257 BCE – 179 BCE
• Carpetani 500 BCE – 179 BCE
• Histri 600 BCE – 177 BCE
• Boeotian League 550 BCE – 171 BCE
• Antigonid Kingdom of Macedonia 306 BCE – 168 BCE
• Illyrian Kingdom 400 BCE – 168 BCE
• Delos 314 BCE – 167 BCE
• Epirote League 232 BCE – 167 BCE
• Leucas 640 BCE – 167 BCE
• Nesiotic League 314 BCE – 167 BCE
• Deciates 300 BCE – 154 BCE
• Oxybii 300 BCE – 154 BCE
• Cerretani 500 BCE – 150 BCE
• Cynetes 700 BCE – 150 BCE

On this day

• 1 January 153 BCERoman consuls take office on 1 January for the first time

Year by year 5

The years of the 2nd century BCE with a page of their own: their events, births and deaths, and the states founded and ended.

• 197 BCE
• 196 BCE
• 167 BCE
• 146 BCE
• 133 BCE